Flyers add Mullen, McIlhargey to staff

The Philadelphia Flyers announced several coaching changes Wednesday, including the hiring of former NHLers Joe Mullen and Jack McIlhargey as assistants to John Stevens.

Former NHLer Berube returns as coach of AHL affiliate

CBC Sports · June 7, 2007

Former Pittsburgh Penguins 40-goal man Joe Mullen will be behind the bench of Pennsylvania's other NHL team next season.

The Philadelphia Flyers named Mullen andone-time NHLer Jack McIlhargey assistant coaches to John Stevens on Wednesday.

"Adding Jack McIlhargey and Joe Mullen to the Flyers staff gives John experience and knowledge from the offensive and the defensive end," said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. "Moving forward, we feel very good about our coaching staffs."

Philadelphia also returned former Flyers assistant coach Craig Berube to his post as bench of its American Hockey League affiliate.

Berube started last season as coach of the Phantoms and was promoted to assistant coach with the Flyers after coach Ken Hitchcock was fired.

Berube will be assisted by Kjell Samuelsson, who had two stints on the Flyers' defence, starting in 1986. He left in 1992 for Pittsburgh, returned to Philadelphia in 1995, and spent the next three seasons with the Flyers.

Career minor-leaguer Neil Little will coach the Phantoms goaltenders.

"We are extremely excited to have both the Flyers and Phantoms coaching staffs in place for the future," said Holmgren.

Berube, 41, collected 61 goals, 159 points and 3,149 penalty minutes in 1,054 career regular-season games for Philadelphia, Toronto, Calgary, Washington and the New York Islanders.

He joined the Phantoms organization in November 2003 and was assistant coach for the team for parts of three seasons, from 2003 through 2006.

Mullen was first American to break 1,000 points

Mullen, 50, has the second-most goals for an American-born player at 502. Dallas Stars centre Mike Modano surpassed him this season.

Mullen was the first American to break 1,000 points and twice won the Lady Byng Trophy as the NHL's most gentlemanly player.

A three-time Stanley Cup champion, he topped the 40-goal mark six times in his career, and broke the 50-goal mark in 1988-89.

McIlhargey, 55, most recently served as a professional scout for the Vancouver Canucks afterserving the Canucks in a variety of roles, including coach and assistant coach of its top minor-league affiliate.

An Edmonton native, McIlhargey played eight seasons in the NHL with Philadelphia, Vancouver and Hartford.